Dragon Ball
is one of the most iconic anime and manga franchises in history. Its fighters are instantly recognizable, its attacks have been echoed by generations of fans, and its protagonist, the once strange, tailed boy in the mountains, has become the unofficial mascot of the medium in which he made his name. Akira Toriyama’s masterpiece series acted as an immeasurable number of fans’ introduction to the world of anime and manga,
and will likely continue to do so for years to come
.
Arguably more iconic than any
Dragon Ball
character not named Goku is the Super Saiyan transformation. From the moment it was introduced during the Namek Saga,
The Super Saiyan transformation revolutionized the world of shōnen manga permanently.
, inspiring numerous protagonists who followed in Goku’s footsteps. As stated by Akira Toriyama, the renowned artist behind
Dragon Ball
, the form was not introduced because he aimed to give his protagonist a dramatic revamp, nor was it due to him needing to increase revenue.
rather it was due to necessity
.
The Super Saiyan form emerged out of necessity.
Goku’s Most Recognizable Appearance Was an Essential Shift
During a time
When power levels actually mattered back then.
Dragon Ball
, the Super Saiyan transformation debuted and forever changed the way strength worked in the series. Goku, the goofy, fighting-obsessed protagonist of the series, rarely had to abandon his kindhearted nature, but Super Saiyan introduced a side of him that wasn’t as friendly as he usually appears. According to Toriyama, the transformation was
needed to help handle the extremely high levels of power
Dragon Ball
‘fighters had started to arrive
.
At this stage, the series started bringing in characters vastly different from combatants such as Master Roshi, who gave Goku his initial defeat at the World Martial Arts Tournament. These new opponents had the power to effortlessly obliterate whole worlds with ease.
Toriyama had to devise something to embody that degree of strength.
.
In an interview from 1995, he stated,
When I conceived the concept of the Super Saiyan transformation, aiming to demonstrate that Goku received an enormous boost in strength instantly, I decided ‘I have no option but to alter his appearance as well.’ However, from a design perspective, this meant his facial features might resemble those of a antagonist.
In this manner, Toriyama discovered a means for his main character to leap ahead in power even more, thus crafting
What could be considered the most famous metamorphosis in anime and manga history during the course of?
.
Transformations Proved to Be a Double-Edged Sword for Dragon Ball
Super Saiyan Introduced a Trend of Transformations In Dragon Ball
While Super Saiyan has become an instantly recognizable aspect of
Dragon Ball
,
it also introduced a trend that Toriyama wasn’t quite fond of
. After recalling how and why the form was introduced during the fight with Frieza, he went on to say,
Soon enough, ‘they must change’ turned into the standard practice, which was quite bothersome.
Given the numerous transformations that came after the Super Saiyan stage, for characters on both sides, it appears that Toriyama had little option but to heed the advice of his editors regarding this matter.
Modern
Dragon Ball
It might lean heavily on its transformations, with nearly every new antagonist capable of changing forms, and each protagonist possessing a distinct upgrade. Nonetheless, the inclusion of Super Saiyan remains.
stands out as one of Akira Toriyama’s greatest achievements as a writer
, despite not being overly fond of many subsequent changes. This particular form isn’t utilized very often nowadays, as
Each of the primary Saiyans has discovered a method to overcome this limitation.
, yet the blond hairstyle remains the series’ most recognizable feature.
Source:
Dragon Ball Daizenshuu 6
translation by Kanzenshuu
)